“So, what have you been up to, Christa?” – asked absolutely nobody (except you, Ems. You asked!)

I have neglected my duties as a good blogger by not keeping my readers up to speed on my life. I do have to sit down and really think about what I have been doing because it doesn’t feel like much.

Any spare time I have I fill with reading, having coffee out and hanging with my main bitches. Oh, and being tattooed with wonderful colourful designs that make me happy.

Sometimes I mix it up by actually going out on a Weekend Night (the thing I most hate doing, so many people!) but that has and never will be a regular thing as I am a homebody at heart. I just want to nest in comfortable lounge wear, is that too much to ask?

Some of you may be aware that this year I took a rather strange ‘skill’ on the road and actually considered myself a semi-pro for a small but solid period of time. I don’t want to bore you with too much of the saga but I will say that it’s a strange feeling when you start to feel as if something you really love to do is about to become a real thing and then… doesn’t.

That’s the thing about dreams and how most artists must feel at least once in their creative lives. So close and yet so far, nearly there, nearly there, then back to the grindstone with nothing to show for it; until next time.

I don’t kid myself that I am a true artist and am fully aware that the whole nail thing is just a very lovely hobby for me right now, but my confidence has been bashed a little by the experience. Again, it’s a long old story but I will put it down just to very poor management (not mine) and the fact that this town obviously just ain’t ready for me!

However, I do have a course coming up to learn more skills that may allow me, with practice to set up my own little business. Thanks to the many lovely people in my life who believe in me, I have a little pool of clients who I am sure will join me when I’m ready again. So not all is lost.

Otherwise, work is a bore but it pays my bills, I am currently on the 5:2 diet and doing quiet well with that. Not dropping stones of weight as I had envisaged but feeling better and better every day. In between my ‘fast days’, I have been calorie counting, something I have always been against but feel necessary now.

I know that healthy living isn’t necessarily about being a size eight waif. I know that beauty and confidence don’t necessarily only come from being tiny. Which is lucky for me really since I will never naturally be that way.

So I am trying to keep my head in the game by not fixating too much on the lbs dropping off, and hanging onto the way I feel. And I feel good at the moment.

In November I am going to Paris for the day and then a few days later, I turn 36. 36 years of age. Isn’t that mad?

Paris will be a nice treat since Glynn and I have been too church mouse poor to travel anywhere much since we got married (bar a couple of UK-based jaunts). I don’t mind this myself since I’m not the beachy sun worshipper type but it is nice to get away for a while.

I am not going to the Romance Capital with my lovely husband though but with my Work Husband D as we have managed to blag free Eurostar tickets through work.

So that will be nice. We haven’t planned much but all I really care about it pottering around, eating and looking at my surroundings. Paris is amazing and I have always loved it, ever since my first school trip where I had my first kiss (with a scouser)!

Otherwise, I live in a bubble of contentment which is a good place to be. I love being married and although every day isn’t perfect and we have our fair share of stresses, I believe it’s the best thing either of us have ever done.

My husband is gorgeous, funny and loving and I have basically lucked out by finding him. And I like to think he’s pretty lucky to have me too.

Oh, and my brother just got engaged! There are reasons why I am not allowed to shout this fact out from the roof tops (or take to Twitter with an official announcement) but I figure, this is my Blog and I can say it if I want to. I am so happy for him and his fiance is truly awesome, so my family are pretty stoked.

Expect more info on that as and when I am allowed to loosen my grip on discretion!

You ARE an artist! Don’t air quote the word skill ~ it’s a talent I certainly don’t have and you should be proud of. I’m so glad you aren’t giving it up and are looking at courses. This is great news. Also, fab you are going on a (work) jaunt to Paris!

PS I thought I had already commented on this but I either just thought all these things in my head or WordPress lost my comment. Either way, sorry for my delayed response! x